


Hidden Abilities

by Rhang



Series: Samerik: The AU [13]
Category: Black Panther (2018), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Babysitting, Erik's gifted with children, Established Relationship, Flashback, M/M, Married Life, So much so people are convinced it's a superpower
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-23 11:11:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14331219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhang/pseuds/Rhang
Summary: “Erik, weren’t you the one who swore you were 'The Baby Whisperer'?” Sam asked.“Because I am,” Erik replied.





	Hidden Abilities

**Author's Note:**

> Erik and Sam are babysitting their nephew for an evening and the topic of having kids of their own rises again. 
> 
> Any mistakes are mine yall.

“Sarah and Leon need a night off. Would you mind if Akeem stayed here tonight?” Sam asked after getting off the phone with his sister.

Sam’s sister and her husband had a four month old, relatively happy baby boy, but when it came to getting that baby to sleep it was a mission. The whole family had given the parents tips and pointers but nothing really seemed to work. While Sam didn’t believe it, Sarah was convinced Erik had a way with kids and would be able to babysit Akeem without much of an issue.

“Is Keem still crying hysterically when they try to put him down for sleep?” Erik asked standing at the stove cooking.

“Yes. Her and Leon are in desperate need of a good night’s sleep,” Sam explained.

“If he won’t go to sleep for his own parents what makes her think we can do anything?” Erik asked turning to look at Sam.

“Erik, weren’t you the one who swore you were ‘The Baby Whisperer’?”

“Because I am,” Erik said smiling before checking back on the food.

Sam just stared at him. “Do you mind babysitting tonight or not?”

“Tell Sarah, it’s cool. I don’t mind,” he said over his shoulder.

“Cool,” Sam said grabbing his cell to call his sister back.

 

Leon brought Akeem over later that evening in his car seat carrier, along with a portable bassinette and diaper bag packed for the night. He set Akeem on the couch and thanked Sam and Erik profusely for doing them this favor.

“Y’all just don’t know. Thank you so much,” Leon sighed looking at Akeem.

“It’s no trouble Leon, we’re family,” Erik said giving Leon dap and a hug.

“Should get going and get home to lie down before I fall down,” Leon said turning to Akeem who was smiling at his dad as he reached for him.

“Have a goodnight Akeem. Be good for your uncles,” Leon said moving to give Akeem a quick kiss as he touched Akeem’s hand. “I love you.”

“He’s in good hands Leon,” Sam said softly.

“Oh I know. I’m just worried for you two. Don’t let him keep you up,” Leon said heading to the door.

“Oh, he won’t,” Erik said smiling, moving to unbuckle Akeem from his carrier.

“Get home safely, Leon. Tell Sarah goodnight for me,” Sam said seeing Leon out.

Erik picked Akeem up into his arms and smiled as the baby smiled back. Erik looked up to see Sam smirking at him.

“What?” Erik asked.

“For someone that doesn’t want kids, you light up around them,” Sam said softly.

“Never said I don’t want them, just don’t know how good I’d be as someone’s father that’s all,” Erik said playing with Akeem.

“Yeah, ‘that’s all’,” Sam said shaking his head as he moved to check the diaper bag for any milk or cold things Sarah may have packed that needed to go in the fridge. Sam grabbed the bottles he found and carried them to the kitchen.

“Do you still not want kids?” Erik asked holding Akeem as he followed Sam into the kitchen.

Sam thought about the question after putting the bottles on the top shelf in the fridge. He turned around and looked at his husband holding their nephew and imagined Erik holding their son or daughter. While Sam harbored reservations about children of his own due to his line of work, he couldn’t deny part of him was a bit more malleable on the topic of children now that he and Erik had some time to themselves as a married couple.

“I don’t know,” Sam said softly. Erik walked over with Akeem and stood near his husband.

“Still don’t think you can have a family _and_ save the world?” Erik asked as Akeem reached for Sam. Erik passed the baby over and Sam opened his arms, smiling wide at the baby boy.

“Children deserve to have their parent’s devotion and time. I’m not in the position to give a child that type of attention right now. Having a child of our own while I still have the shield, that’s not fair to that child or to you babe,” Sam said truthfully looking into his husband’s eyes. “Do-do you want kids N’Jadaka?” he hesitated to ask.

Erik stared at Sam and felt his throat tighten. He smiled at Akeem and touched the baby’s hand, feeling it best to not answer the question. They shouldn’t be having a discussion like this with Akeem there.

Once it got closer to midnight, Akeem started to get fussy. Erik had set the bassinette up in their room before going to take his shower. Sam was bouncing his nephew, trying to calm the baby down from his constant whining as he walked around their bedroom in near darkness.

“Hand him over Sam. I got him,” Erik said coming out of the bathroom from his shower. He gathered Akeem and the blanket around him into his arms. Sam handed the baby over and Akeem started to taper off with the crying the moment he was in Erik’s arms.

“How?” Sam asked staring at Erik in amazement.

Erik shrugged and continued to walk around the room in a small circle. Sam sat on their bed and stared in quiet wonderment at his husband’s gift. He thought about Erik not answering his question in the kitchen earlier about wanting kids. Sam felt his regular guilt around the issue well up again as he felt that his husband did want a family of their own. How Erik lit up around the children at their family gatherings and how Akeem and Jody just seemed to gravitate toward him whenever he was around. How his husband probably wanted nothing more than a family of his own, something Erik didn’t have growing up.

Sam sighed and knew they needed to discuss this. Erik moved to put Akeem down in the bassinette and Sam looked at the clock, it was just a little after midnight.

“Not bad,” Sam said softly.

“Yeah,” Erik whispered laying the baby on his side and covering him with his blanket.

Sam got up and got in bed as Erik came to bed as well. “N’Jakada,” Sam said moving to get closer to Erik in the dark.

“Yeah?” Erik asked.

“Do you want kids?” Sam asked again.

“Doesn’t matter Sam,” Erik said softly.

“Yes it does. Why would it not?” Sam asked concerned.

“Because if you don’t want them, what does it matter what I want?” Erik whispered.

“Babe, it’s not that I don’t want them, I just, I don’t think it’s right to have a child and not be here to raise them with you, to watch them grow up,” Sam said softly, feeling emotions well up inside.

“I know babe, I get it,” Erik assured him. “Let’s just forget this right now. We’ve got Akeem and Jody; they can be enough for now.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same,” Sam mostly to himself.

“No,” Erik said listening to Akeem’s soft breaths in the dark. “No it’s not.”

 

 

* * *

“How the hell does Erik do this?” Sarah asked when she arrived to pick Akeem up the next morning. Erik was asleep on the couch with baby Akeem fast asleep on his chest. “At first I suspected but now I _know_ he has a gift.”

“I’m convinced he has this personal chaotic energy that babies can sense and it tires them out completely,” Sam said trying to swallow the smile on his lips.

“You still sure you don’t want kids Sam?” Sarah asked looking at her brother.

Sam glanced at her and his smile fell.

“Talk to me Samuel,” Sarah pressed.

“I’ve told you this before Sarah. I can’t be a superhero and a parent,” Sam said. “My child deserves more.”

“How does Erik feel?” Sarah asked.

“I think he wants kids but he doesn’t want to say anything in case he makes me feel like I’m keeping him from that,” Sam explained.

“I can see Erik as a father. He’d be great actually,” Sarah said softly. She nudged Sam’s shoulder. “You would too little brother.”

Sam stared at her and shook his head.

**Author's Note:**

> How would parenthood treat these two? What do yall think? Are Sam's reservations on becoming a dad make sense? 
> 
> Let's talk about it. :)


End file.
